I am so happy that I got the chance to speak with Myla Smith.  She is a musician that loves music for all of the right reasons, and I am thrilled to share her story and journey for all of you.

General Info

Myla is a 30 year old musician from Shake Rag, Tenneesee, a little rural area near Mississippi.  She lived in Dallas, Texas for a while, and currently lives in Memphis, Tennessee.  She used to work part-time keeping books for a real estate tax attorney, and felt that it was nice to get out of that to try something completely different.  She is married, and especially loves spending time with her family.

Myla’s Musical Idols

Myla loves Ryan Adams, and his “Cold Roses” record was one of the first ones that she fell in love with.  Sheryl Crow is a huge idol for her because she sung live and also played bass. Currently, she is very much into Katie Herzig and Butterfly Boucher, who are both independent singer/songwriters.

Her Music and its Meaning

Myla plays electric and acoustic guitar, piano, and sings.  She would classify her music as folk/pop; however, she says that “it is really hard to know what to call anything anymore.” Myla writes all of her own music, and feels that people’s personal experiences in life inspires music.  She used to write autobiographically, but not anymore.  When I asked her about the meaning of her music, she said:

“Music has an ability to connect people.  I want to pick things to write about that somebody else can relate to and connect to.”

She mentioned that there are universal themes that everyone can relate to such as love, loss, contradictions of living, difficulties of living, and basic emotions.  It is really refreshing to see a musician put so much raw meaning into her music that so many others can relate to.

Musical Past, Present, and Future

Myla has been doing music since she can remember.  She used to have a Fisher tape recorder with a little microphone, and would record all of her stream of consciousness songs.  She said:

“People feel that the drive to pursue music is coming from something else, but it’s just there.”

Music has always been there for her.  I asked Myla how she was going to continue to pursue her dream of music, and how she was going to go about it.  She mentioned to me that she is currently an independent artist without a label, and this promotes creativity and allows more voices to be heard.  Some of my favorite words from Myla came when we were talking about record labels when she said:

“The thought of someone else telling me what to do with my music isn’t so appealing to me.”

I couldn’t agree more, and love that she is taking the independent route in order to ensure that her music reflects what she wants it to be.

New Album – Drugs EP

Myla has just released her new EP titled “Drugs.”  She said that she picked all of the songs first, and the title came second.  She wanted to pick stuff that goes together and makes sense together, but also likes the idea of keeping people guessing.  It just so happened that she realized that all of the songs were about drugs.  The songs on the album is less about popping pills, and is more about the idea that everyone has their own drug, such as working too much or people pleasing.  She feels that our American dream is one that focuses on always progressing and doing more, but where does that lead us?  She worries that people try to lose themselves in the activities that they take part in.  I asked her what the underlying meaning in her album is, and she explained:

“People don’t have to be a slave to these things, and there is a better way.  I want to write so their story can fit in with whatever the song is telling.  I want to make people feel like they are not alone.”

I took a listen to Myla’s EP, and instantly fell in love with the tracks.  After talking to Myla, I could really see the meaning behind the songs, and the album as a whole.  My two favorite tracks are “Slow Down” and “Help Me!” but all of the tracks are unique and enjoyable in their own way.  I thoroughly recommend the EP to music lovers and for those who are looking for something new.  Her music just feels real, and that is hard to find.

Upcoming News

Myla is kicking off her living room tour in Memphis, which she feels will promote more relaxed environments and more control.  Her Drugs EP is now available on iTunes, Amazon, and other music sources as of October 16th.  Take a listen.  You won’t regret it.

You can listen to and purchase Myla Smith’s Drugs EP on iTunes

By:  Brandon Klein

(Photo courtesy of Myla Smith)